Kathmandu, June 24: The International Day of Women in Diplomacy is being observed across the world today, including in Nepal, organizing various programmes and highlighting the need for women’s equal participation to advance global peace and inclusive governance. The Day has been observed annually on June 24 since 2022 following a resolution adopted by the United Nations General Assembly. According to the United Nations, women in diplomacy are not merely participants in international affairs but also peace builders, advocates of equality and leaders shaping the future of global cooperation.
“Their voices, perspectives and leadership are essential to addressing complex global challenges and building more inclusive, just and sustainable societies,” the 193-member global intergovernmental body noted. Furthermore, the UN emphasized that ensuring women’s full, equal and meaningful participation at all levels of decision-making is not only a matter of equality but also a fundamental requirement for effective global governance.
It also acknowledged that such participation is vital to fulfilling commitments under the Beijing Platform for Action and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Although women and girls represent half of the world’s population, their representation in diplomatic corps worldwide remains low. Despite their limited representation, women have made significant diplomatic contributions as leaders in global politics and continue to play important roles across diplomatic missions, multilateral institutions and international negotiations through dialogue, consensus-building, conflict resolution and international cooperation, the UN said.
Despite progress in recent decades, women remain underrepresented in diplomacy and international decision-making processes, particularly in senior diplomatic positions and within the UN system. Structural, institutional and cultural barriers continue to limit women’s advancement into leadership roles.
Against this backdrop, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed stressed that effective global governance cannot be achieved without women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in diplomacy. She also called for greater inclusion of women in decision-making processes.
